Supporting means for drop brake shafts



l, 2 Aprll 19, 1927. W. B. HALL I 6 5206` SUPPORTING MEANS FOR DROP BRAKE SHAFTS Filed June 1, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aprll 19, 1927. W. B. HALL spPPoRTING MEANS FOR DROP BRAKE sHAFTs Filed June 1, 1925 s sheets-Sheng' llv'IIlllllxl f' 19 Apnl 19 27 w. B. HALL SUPPORTING MEANS FOR DROP BRAKE SHAFTS Filed June 1, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 llllll IIL l Imm Patented tpr. i9, i927.

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WILLIAM B. HALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINI .ASSIGNOR T 'UNIN RAILWAY EQUIP- SUPPORTING- MEANS FOR DROP-BRAKE SHA1-TTS.

Application filed .Tune l, 1925. Serial No. 34,105.

My invention relates to a drop brake mechanism and more particularly to means for supporting the drop brake shatt in raised position.

lt is a purpose of my invention to provide means lior holding a vertically movable brake shaft in raised position comprising a member mounted on the brake shaft that engages with a Shoulder on a member embracing the same so as to hold the same against downward movement and to provide means for disengaging said member from said shoulder to permit downward movement ot' said brake shaft when desired.

lt is a further purpose oi the invention to provide means oit the above mentioned character comprising a latching member pivotally mounted in a pocket or recess in the brake shaft and having a normal tendency to project 'laterally therefrom so as to engage with a shoulder' provided on a sleeve surrounding said brake shal't and to provide means for disengaging said latch from said shoulder comprising a pivotally mounted member engaging said latch so as toV torce or crowd the same ori' said shoulder when it is desired to release the brake shaft to permit dropping of the same. The latch is preferably provided with an inclined race with which the releasing member is adapted to engage to move the same into the pocket by a wedging action. l

The latch may be movable into position to engage the shoulder either by the action of gravity or by means of a spring or other resilient means. rl`he spring member may itself serve as a latch or may be used merely for moving the pivoted latch into locking position.

Uther objects and advantages or the invention will appear as the description oi' the accompanying drawings proceeds. However, I desire to have it distinctly understood that I do not intend to limit myself to the exact details shown or described, but that I intend to include as part ot' my invention all such obvious changes and modilications or parts as would occur to a person skilled in this art and as would Ytall within the scope of the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section oi" a portion ot a railway car and a portion o1u my improved brake mechanism showing the drop brake sli-attend the means for supporting the same in raised position;

n Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partly in seetion and partly in elevation oli' a portion ot the brake shaft and the sleeve surrounding the same showing my improved holdingmeans therefor in position for holding the bralre shaft in elevated position;

i Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the holding member or latch in releasing position;

Fig. Il is a liront elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig.v 5 is a section taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. is a section taken substantially on the line 6 6 ot Fig. 2.

Fig. i is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modified form of my invention; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a turther modiication.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in Fig. 1 is shown a channel member 10 and a plate 11 orming the end sill of a car having the floor 12. Mounted on the channel member 10 is a bracket member 13 having a laterally extending portion 14c'which is provided with an opening 15 through which the sleeve 1G extends. Said channel member 10 is also provided with a bracket member 17 which is provided with a ydetachable cap portion 1S, said bracket member 17 being separate troni and spaced trom the bracket member 13. rl'he vertically movable bralie shaft 19 eX- tends through the bearing member formed by the members 1T and 18 and through the sleeve 16 and is vertically slidable therein. Said brake shaift 19 is provided with the usual hand wheel 2O and the ratchet 21 cooperating with a pawl as is customary.

It will be seen trom Fig. 6 that the shaft 19 is substantially square in cross section and is biturcated at the lower end thereof so as to provide a central slot or opening 22. rlhe bii'urcated end of the member 19 is provided with pivot holes or the pivot pin 23 which has mounted thereon the latch meinber 2, said latch member being loosely pivoted on the pivot pin 23 due to the fact that the pivot opening 25 is larger than the pivot pin 23. This permits a certain amount of play et the latch member :24C on the pivot pin.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the latch member 2li is provided with a projecting finger 26 on one tace 13 in any suitable manner.

thereof which is slightly inclined to the adjacent face 27 of the member 24 and from which the inclined rib 28 extends merging with the member 24 adjacent the upper end thereof to thus provide an inclined surface extending from the forward edge 29 of the locking linger 2G toward the upper end of the latch 24.

The sleeve-lille member 1G surrounds the kshaft 19 and has the pinion 3() formed thereon, said pinion meshing with a gear 31, both said pinion and gear being mounted within a housing secured to the bracket The lower end t "i the `sleeve 1G is provided with a projecting hub portion 33 which is rotatable in a bearing 34 provided on the housing 82. Said member 1G is further provided with pairs of oppositely arranged grooves 35 within which the ribs 36 on the member 19 lie whereby the movement of the shaft 19 is guided and is also limited as the ribs obviously cannot travel further than a certain distance in the grooves 35 due to the provision of the stop lugs or projections 3T therein.

The sleeve 1G is further provided with a pair of laterally projecting ears 3S which are provided with the inclined internal slots or grooves 39 terminating in the curved ends 40. A latch releasing member 41 is mounted in the housing 16, being inserted from the interior thereof by passing the laterally projecting pivot members provided thereon down the inclined grooves 39 until the same rest adjacent the rounded ends thereof. A lateral slot or opening 43 is provided in the member 16 to accommodate the releasing member 41 and said releasing member is provided with a forwardly projecting finger portion 44 and an outwardly projecting handle portion 45 which may be provided with a central opening 4G if desired. "The linger 44 is provided with a Vflat forward face 4( and a slightly inclined side face 48 connected by the curved portion 49. y

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that when the shaft is in raised position, the finger 26 will engage with the inclined shoulder 50 provided on the sleeve 16 at the opening 43, said shoulder or face 50 forming the bottom of said opening. The engagement of the locking finger 26 with said shoulder 50 is due to the factthat the latch 24 tends to assume the position shown in Fig. 2 due to the action of gravity, the weight of the member 24 being so distributed relative to the pivot pin 23 that the latch has a tendency to protrude slightly from the pocket or opening 22 in the member 19. Accordingly, when the shaft 19 is raised so that the finger 2G passes the shoulder 50, upon release of the shaft 19 by the person operating the hand wheel 20, the finger 26 will automatically move into engagement with the shoulder 50 to prevent downward movement of the shaft 19 until released. n order to release the latch from the shoulder l, the locking member 41 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 2 toward the position shown in Fig. 3. The rounded edge 49 engaging with the inclined edge 28 on the member 24 tends to wedge the same in a clockwise direction around the pivot 23.

ln order to provide ease of operation of the releasing means, it is desirable to slightly lift the shaft 19 when operating the releasing member 41. lVhen the weight of the parts are on the pivot pin 23, the tendency will be for the pivot pin to lie at the bottom of the opening 25 as shown in Fig. 2, while if the shaft is lifted, the pin 23 will move to the top of the opening 28 shown in Fig. 8 preventing upward movement of the member 24 on the pivot pin i3 when the projecting linger portion 44 of the releasing member 41 engages therevith. The counter-clockwise movement of the member 41 is continued until the latch is moved entirely within the pocket in the member 19 as shown in Fig. 3, the engaging portion of the unlocking member 41 at this time being 'the flat forward face 47 thereof which by this time engages with the slightly inclined forward edge 29 of the member 26. rl he sh ft 19 then drops and the member 41 released assuming the position shown in Fig. 2 duc to the action of gravity, the handle portion 4G thereof being heavier than the portion 44 to thus cause the automatic movement of said member to the position shown in Fig. 2.

-ln Fig. 7 a different form of io' means is shown for holding the shaft raised position. The sleeve 1G provi es in the form previously des 'fed and is provider. with an opening or slot 5() providing a shoulder 61 at the bottom thereof with which the latch G2 is p" l gage. Said latch is made or spring meta1 and the lower end portion thereof norn'ialiy inclines outwardly of the shaft 19 as shown in Fig. T, the upper portion thereof lying in the recess 63 in said shaft 19 and being secured thereto by means of the fastening niercicr (34. The shaft 19 is provided furthermore a recess which is deeper than the recess 63 so to am'ommodate the spring when the same moved o the left in Fig. 7 out of the shoulder G1. The spring into unlocl or releas by means the relasmg mei which is sulmantialiy the same as that shoV 'in Figs. 1 to (i inclusive, the s: 12d l pivoted in the s' ne manner previously described in connection with 1 to 6 by means of the. pivot members 42 engaging witli the pivot lll) ears 38. The forwardly projecting linger portion ffl-l of the releasing` member 1l engages with the spring latch 62 in substantially the same manner as the releasing' member' engages with the latch in the other figures, crowding the saine to the left in Fig. 7 out of engagement with the shoulder 6l.

Insteadv of providing a spring that directly engages with the shoulder, the spring means may be used for urging the latch into such a position that the same Will engage with the shoulder on the sleeve. Such an arrangen'ient is shown in Fig. 8 in which the shaft 19 is provided with a slot 6G Within which is pivoted the latch 67, said latch being pivoted on the pivot pin 68 and having a pivot opening 69 larger than the pin 68 so as to loosely pivot the member 67 on the pin 68 in the same manner as the member 24 pivoted on the pin 23 in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive and for the same purpose. Said latch is provided With a shoulder 70 that is iulapted to engage with the shoulder 7l at the bottom of the slot 72 provided in the sleeve 16. Said latch is further provided with a downwardly extending projection 73 that is adapted to engage with the inner .vall 74 of the sleeve 16 to limit the movement of the latch 67 outwardly into the slot T2. Said latch is further provided with a spring member 7 5 that is secured in any suitable manner as by means of the upset lugs 76 to the latch 67, said spring 75 engaging with the inner Wall 77 of the slot 66 and normally tending to move the member 67 counter-clockwise around the pin 66.

ln Fig. 8 the spring is shoivn as being compressed against the Wall 77 due o the fact that the forwardly projecting rounded end portion all of the releasing member al in engagement therewith, the spring being then under tension. ln the form shoivn in Fig. S. the operation is the same as in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive except that spring` means is provided instead of gravity means for holding the latch in locking position. To release the same the shaft 19 is sightly raised and the releasing member flo is swung about its pivot to engage with the pivoted latch 67 to crowd the same oif the shoulder 71. ln Fig. 7 due to the resilient nature of the member 62, it is not necessary to raise the same to disengage the latch from the shoulder. ln orderto protect the end of the spring 62 in lfig. 7, the shaft 19 is provided with a projection 78 extending below the bottom of the spring 67 to thus house the same Within the confines of the shaft 19 when the same is out of engagement with the shoulder 61.

Having thus described my invention. what l desire to claim and secure by United States Lett-ers Patent` is: y

1. In a device of the character described` a brake shaft, means for mounting said brake shaft on a car for vertical movement. a sleeve surrounding said brake shaft and having an internal inclined shoulifler intermediate its ends, and means for supporting said brake shaft in rah-.led positioi'l comprising a member on said brake shaftengaging said shoulder on said sleeve when said brake shaft is raised.

2. In a device of the character described, a brake shaft, means for mounting said brake shaft on a car for vertical movement, a sleeve surrounding said hralni sha ft, means for supporting said brake shaft in raised position comprising a member on said brake shaft engaging` a shoulder on said sleeve when said brake shaft is raised, and means for disengaging said member from said shoulder to permit lowering of said brake shaft.

3. ln a device of the character described, a brake shaft, means for mounting said brake shaft on a car for vertical movement, a sleeve surrounding said brake shaft and means for supporting said brake shaft in raised position comprising a member having' its upper end pivotally mounted on said brake shaft engaging an internal shoulder on said sleeve when said brake shaft is raised.

4f. ln a device of the character described, a brake shaft, means for mounting said brake shaft on a car for vertical movement, a sleeve surrounding said brake shaft, means for supporting said brale shaft in raised position comprising a member pivotally mounted on said brake shaft engaging a shoulder on said sleeve when said brake shaft is raised and a releasing member pivotally mounted on said sleeve and engaging said member on said brake shaft to move the same olf said shoulder.

5. In a device of the character described, a brake shaft, means for mounting said brake shaft on a car for vertical i'novement, a sleeve surrounding said brake shaft, a latch mounted on said brake shaft and having a normal tendency to extend outwardly beyond said shaft and engage a shoulder on said sleeve to hold said shaft in raised position and means for crowding said latch olf said shoulder.

6. ln a device of the character described, a brake shaft, means for mounting said brake shaft on a car for vertical movement, a sleeve surrounding said brale shaft, a latch mounted on said brake shaft and having a normal tendency to extend outwardly beyond said shaft and engage a shoulder on said sleeve to hold said shaft in raised position, said latch having an inclined face, and a releasing member mounted on said sleeve and engaging said inclined face to move said latch olf said shoulder.

7. ln a device of the character described, a brake shaft, means for mounting said lll,5

broke shalt on a car for Vertical n'ioveinenl, :i sleeve surrounding seid brake shaft, said shaft having o pocket therein, o hitch pivotally niounted in suifl poel-iet` and tending to proj ct therefrom, said latch engaging o shoulder on said sleeve to hold seid shell in raised position and means on seid sleeve eiigaging said latch to force ille seme into said pocket to perinil said sh 'ft to drop.

S. In a device of he character described, :i brake shi-lift, moons for mouneine` .seid Draike Shard; on :1 cer for Vertical movement.,

a sleeve surrounding said brake shaft, means for supporting' said broke shaft in raised position comprisingo member loosely pivoted on said brake shaft engaging a shoulder on said sleeve 1when seid broke shaft is raised and ii releasing member pivol'ally mounted on said sleeve and engaging seid member on seid hielp sheft lo move the seine olii' said shoulder with e Tredging action.

n Witness whereof7 l hereunto subscribe my naine this 29th day oi? April, 1925. 

